Line clamp



c. E. RAME LINE CLAMP Filled Dec. l, 1927 Patented Dec. 4, 17928.

CHARLES E. BAME,

oF'NEw YORK, N. Y.

LINE CLAMP. y

. Applicationv led December This invention relates to line clamps landparticularly to devices of this class for use in connection with clotheslines and like devices;V and the object ofthe invention is to provide aclamp `of the class specified which is simple in constructionr and yetpositive and automatic in yits operation to lock a line in predeterminedpositions of of adjustment; a further object being to provide a lineclamp of the class specified, witlrmeans for releasing the lock memberthereof in a simple and effective manner to facilitate the adjustment ofthe clamp without the exertion of -undue stress or strain; a furtherobject being to provide a device ofthe class specified, which iscompact'in structure and which may be com# posed of sheet metal partsriveted or other--y wise secured together to form a unitary structure;andwith these andother objects in view, the invention consists in adevice of the class and for the purpose specied, which is simple inconstruction, ellicient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate partsof my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters ineach of the views, and in which z- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of aVclamp made according to my invention and illustrating the method ofitsuse." f-

Fig. 2 is bottom view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the lineomitted; and, Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a modified form ofconstruction which I employ.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing', theline clamp is composed of a unitarybody consisting of elliptical side wall members 10 and 11, joinedtogether at one end by a web portion 12, and adjacent one side byanother web portion 13 having a rounded edge 14, note Fig. 1, said webyportion spacing the side walls 10 and 11 to form a chamber 15therebetween, into and through which the clothes line or the like 16 isfree to pass. One end of the line is secured to the clamp by its passagearound the web 12 and being knotted as seen at 17, While the other endof the line is retained in connection with v the clamp by anautomatically and manually actuated lock member 18 pivotally supportedwithin the chamber 15 on a pivotpin 19, theinner end of the lock member18 extend` 1, 1927. serial r6. 266,957.

ing toj form a rounded nose portion 20,

aroundwhich a line 16 is looped as seen in Fig. v1 ofthe drawing, andthe under side ofthe lock 18v is' offset tov forma recess 21 and aprojecting pawl or prong 22 which cooperates with the web 13 to. crimpand wedge the line 16 as seen at 23 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. projectingfinger piece 291 which extendsl well beyond the body ofV the clamp andwhich when raised upwardly as. viewed in' Fig. 1 of `thedrawing,willrelease theline 16 to any desired extent, whereas the line 16L oflthe line may be pulled through the clamp for tightening purposes, andwhen released will automatically be vlockedby the The lock member 18hasl a' PartitiTo 1=l=icla.. Y

movement of thepawlor prong 22'into enl gagement therewith, crimping thesame as at 23. This action takes placeby virtue of the upward stressenthe rounded nose portion 20'of said lock member.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification wherein thebody structureof the clamp instead'of being molded` or integrally formedas in Figs. 1 and 2, is

fashioned from two similarlyformed disksk of sheet metal 25, and thesedisks are spacedapart to formv a chamber therebetween, similar tofthe'chamber 15 by spacing members 27 and 28 riveted or otherwisesecured to the separate plates y25. TheV member 27 serves the purposelof the member 12,l and the mem'ber28, the purposeof the; member 13. Inlthe structure shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing,-the lockmember employedwill be the same as that shown in Figs. v1 and l2, and the pin 19thereof will`- pass through 4and be mounted inapertures 29 in the platesFrom the foregoing, it will be seen that by virtue of the simplicity ofthe construcy tion of my improved clamp, the same may be'produced at averyV nominal cost and yet a clamp having very effective and positivelyfunctioning clamping properties, yand one which may 'be readilylreleased, notwithstanding the vstress or strain thereon or onthe line inconnection with which the same is employed. The recess 21 andvprojecting prong 22 forms in conjunction with the mem bers'. 13-28, avery positive lock, .held in position vbythe stressV on the 'noseportion 20 of the lock member 18. While .I am aware of ,other devices ofthe eneral character of my invention, they all ail to accomplish thedesired result in a practical ,fashion by virtue of the nature of theconstruction of such devices, and the awkwardness and impracticabilityin their manner of operation.

While I have shown a certainorm of construction in the production of `myclamp,.1 am not necessarily limited in this respect,

Aand changes therein and modifieationstheref of may be made within thescope of the alpi posed sidewalls with a cliamberHt-herebe- Y zo tween,a pawl lock member pivotallysupported within and between the side walls`of said clamp and having a projectingjpronglike part adapted tocooperate with a fixed' member bridging vthe Vwalls of said clamp tocrimp and secure one end portion of a line against Vdisplacement fromsaid clamp, the inner end of said lock member having a rounded noseportion, around which said end 1 of the line is looped and by means ofwhich said ,prong is moved into operative osition. i

eseribed 2. A line clamp 'of the class comprising similarly vformed andoppositely disposed side walls withV a chambertherebe- "tween, a pawllock member pivotallysupported within and between the side walls ofVsaid clamp Vand having a projecting prongf likepart. adaptedVA tocooperate with a fixed member bridging the walls of said clamp to crimpand wsecureone end portion of a line against displacement from saidclamp, Vthe inner'end of said lockV member having a rounded `noseportion, `around `which said end ofthe line is looped and by means ofwhich said prong is. moved 4into operative position, andthe other end oflsaid lock member projecting throughrtlie clamp body to-form a fingerpiece, by means of which.

thelock member may bemoved into position to release said end of theclothesline.

a comprising similarly formed- 3, A line clamp of the classdescribed andoppositely disposed side walls with a chamber therebe- V tween, au pawllock member pivotally supported Vwithin andbetween the side walls oitheclainp Vand having a projectino pronglike part adapted to cooperatewith' a fixed memberbridging .the-walls of said clamp to crimp andsecure one end portion of a line against displacement from: said-clamp,the

inner 4end VofI said llockvmember ,having a" rounded noseportion,faround which said end of the lineis looped andby means ofwhich",saidprongis moved into operative position,`

the othe-friend ofthe loekvlmember' projecting through the clampbodyxto` form a `finger piece, by means of whichthelookmember may be"moved into positionl to release "said` endl of the clothesline,` andmeans for seeur` ing the other end of Ltheline to said clamp body. p p y`A line clamp of the class-described comprising similarly formed andoppositely disposed -side walls with `a :chamber therebetweenVa pawllock memberpivotally sup-i ported `within"andfbetween the side Walls ofsaid clampand having a projecting pronglike part adapted to cooperatewith a fixed member bridging the `walls of said elampto crimp and.secure onelend'portion of alinej` against displacement from said clamp,theV inner end ofsaid lock member having a rounded nose portion, aroundwhich said end of the line is looped andvbymeans of which said prong ismoved into operative position,

theother en d of saidlock memberprojecting through theclamp body toforma finger piece, byl means of Whichthe lockinember may be :movedintovposition lto release said end ofthe clothes line. meansforsecuring` the otherlend of thvefline to said clamp body, and the side`walls vof Vsaid clamp body and said lock member being fashionedV lfromsheet metal. 'i

In testimony that I claim ythe foregoing las) my invention Ihave signedmy' naineA this` 29th dayof November, 1927. 1 i 1 a CHARLES-E. RAME-`

